Concrete-block machine



mayis ms;

4 1,455,317 W. A. WHITFIELD CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed Nov 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES E o l/VVElI/TOR mamas w.'A. WHITFIELD CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE May 15,- 1923.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 22

l3 TTORfI/EYS Patented May 15, 1923.

rarest? @FFHQE.

WILLIAM A. WHITFIELD, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

CONCRETE-BLOCK MACHINE.

Application filed November 22, 1921.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. HE FIELD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Block Machines of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines es pecially adapted for use in manufacturing cement blocks,

An important object of this invention is to provide a cement block manufacturing machine having novel means whereby the sides and ends of the mold blocks are swung into position by the operation of a single lever so that the manufacture of theblocks is greatly expedited.

Further, by the use of the improved cement block forming machine the use of cores is dispensed with and the possibility of breaking the blocks due to the withdrawal of the core is consequently eliminated.

Further the use of crushed stone and a suflicient quantity of water is permitted thereby forming a block possessed of more than the usual strength.

A further object is to provide a cement block forming machine which is simple to operate, durable in use and cheap to manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved block forming machine. t

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 8. is a side elevation of the machine, the View being taken at right angles to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective of a pallet cmbodied in the'invention.

I Figure 5is a perspective of a spacing plate and associated elements embodied in the invention.

. Figure 6 is a plan view of the member illustrated in Figure 4:.

Figure -7 is a fragmentary perspective View or one of the end walls of the mold blocks,

Figure 8 is a detail elevation of one of the end walls of the machine.

Figure 9 is. a fragmentary perspective of Serial No. 517,080.

a wall constructed from blocks made by the improved machine.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the blocks.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates a frame which consists of a plurality of studs or corn-er beams 6 extended upwardly from a base 7 ct rectangular or other suitable formation. As illustrated in Figure 2 the base 7 is formed from a plurality of stout beams, preferably two by six arranged on edge and having their ends connected in any suitable manner. The upstanding corner beams 6 may be bolted or otherwise secured to the inner sides of the base preferably at the corners of the same.

The corner posts 6 are formed at their upper ends with cross beams 9 which constitute a platform for supporting a pallet generally designated by the numeral 10 and illustrated in Figure 3. lVith reference to Figure 4 1b will be obvious that the pallet consists of a pair of spaced sections a"- ranged in spaced parallel relation to provide a longitudinally extending slot 11 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. End pieces 12 of any suitable material are arranged with the ends of the sections of the pallet by any suitable means.

The machine is provided with a pair of side members having upstanding posts or beams 21 hingedly connected to the base as indicated at 22 and adapted to swing about a horizontal axis. A pair of opposed side walls 24 are secured to the upper portions of the posts 21 and overly the pallet 10 for the purpose of forming the opposite side wall of the mold box.

The end walls of the mold box are designated by the numeral 26 and are supported. at the upper ends or" the posts 27 hinged. to the base as indicated at 28. With reference to Figure 1 it will be observed that the end walls 26 are arranged betw en the side walls 24 and also overly the pallet 10 so as to complete the mold box. The intermediate portions of the side walls 24. are provided with recesses 30 Which receive a quantity of cement for providing the centrally arranged lug or rib 31 at the intermediate portion of the block 32. Theend portions ofthe side walls 24 may also be provided with cut clearly illustrated in Figure 5. The center plate 38 consists of a plurality of sides 39 maintained in spaced relation by means of spacing strips 40, the lower portions of the intermediate spacing strips a0 being connected in any suitable manner to a vertically movable shaft 42.

The vertically movable shaft 42 which is rigidly connected to the center plate 38 is slidable through a guide beam it-3 secured to tion to the end walls.

the base 7. The center plate 38 is slidable through the longitudinal slot 11 in the pallet plate so thatthe pallet plate constitutes a guide for the center plate.

. Upon the completion of the block or blocks the center plate 38 is moved downwardly by a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the vertically movable shaft as indi cated at 51 and pivoted at its forward end to a bracket 53 carried by one of the corner posts 6 of the same. The lever 50 extends diagonally of the machine and is pro vided with a handle 54- adapted to be depressed by the operator when it is desired to lower the center plate. On the other hand when it is desired to elevate the center plate preparatory to the manufacture of a pair of blocks the lever 50 is elevated for moving the center plate up between the side walls 2% and the end walls 26. V

' The end walls are moved inwardly simultaneously with the upward movement of the center plate by means of a pair of links pivoted to the intermediate portion "of the end members by means of brackets 61 and pivoted to the upper portion of the vertically movable shaft 42 by means of collars 64.

A yieldable driving connection is established between the shaft 42 and the collar G l by means of a coiled spring 65 mounted upon the shaft between the collar 64- and the collar, 66 which as illustrated in Figure l'is secured on the shaft by a set screw 67.

The end walls are movable inwardly in the path of, the side walls, the latter being connected to the vertically movable shaft by means of links similar to the links 60 and which are com eoted to a collar 58 secured on the shaft above the collar 64 and held thereon by means of'a set screw 69 or other suitable fastening means. By an adjustment of the screw 69 the collar 68 may be secured in any desired position to regulate the movement of the side walls 24 with'rela- In operation the end walls are moved inwardly simi'iltaneously 'with the upward movement of the center plate and the side walls move inwardly after the end walls. hen the end walls reach the limit of their inward movement the. spring 65 retracts and the vertical movement of the shaft 42 continues for completing the inward movement of the side walls. Retaining strips 78 are arranged at the ends of the sidewalls 24 and overly the end walls 26 so as to firmly hold the end walls against outward movement when the material is packed in the several compartments. The end walls are limited in their outward movement by means of lJ-bolts 79 forming guides slidably receiving the upstanding posts of the end walls. The terminal portion of the bolts are of course screw-threaded and are extended through a stationary portion of the frame and are engaged by suitable nuts.

The center plate 38 is provided with stripper bars 82 which are arranged in spaced parallel relation to the center plate and move upwardly flatly in engagement with the inner walls of the recesses 30 in the side walls 24:. When the downward movement of the center plate 38 begins the stripper bars 82 also move downwardly so as to prevent the block formed from being mutilated.

As illustrated in Figure 5 the stripper bars 82 are secured to the lower longitudinal edge portion of thecenter plate 38 by means of diverging branches 85.

The center plate has its sides 39 arranged in spaced relation to form slots at the ends of the center plate, which slot receives the inwardly directed rib of the guide plate or strip87 secured to the inner side of the end walls 26. As'illustra ted in Figure 2, addrtional guide strips 88 are secured to the inner sides of the upper beam 9 and slidably form a means for directing the' 'center plate in its vertical movement. 1 Of course, the guide strips 87 are aligned with the guide'strips 88 so that the center plate will not be interrupted in its vertical movement. In fact the center plate i s'at all times engaged with the lower pair of guide strips 88.

One of the side members 24 is provided with latch bars 90 hinged adjacent their forward ends as indicated at'91 to the upper portion of the side member and having their rear portions provided with lifting handles 92. l Vhen the side member 20 is swung outwardly the latch bars 90 are inclined illustrated in Figure 3 and when theside members are swung inwardly the jar incident to this movement swings the severallatch bars inwardly so that the locking devices 83 car ried thereby are engageclwith opposite side member. By this means the oppositely arranged side members aresseu iy'heia in Position. A I Having thus described the invention what Ic'laimis:- i

1. A. machine for manufacturing cenerete blocks comprising a frame having a platform, a pallet mounted on said platform and having a slot, a center plate movable through said slot and having a vertically movable shaft, an operating lever connected inter mediate its ends to said shaft and at its for- 'ward end to said frame, side and end walls having posts hinged at their lower ends to said frame, collars arranged on said shaft, links establishing connection between said posts and said collars, means carried by said side walls for holding said end walls against outward movement, and a coiled spring mounted on said shaft and providing a yieldable connection between said shaft and the end walls.

2. A machine for manufacturing concrete blocks comprising a frame having a platform, a pallet mounted on said platform and having a slot, a center plate movable through said slot and having a vertically movable shaft, an operating lever connected intermediate its ends to said shaft and at its for ward end to said frame, side and end walls having posts hinged at their lower ends to said frame, collars arranged on said shaft,

links establishing connection between said posts and said collars, means carried by said side walls for holding said end walls against outward movement, a coiled spring mounted on said shaft and providing a yieldable connection between said shaft and the end walls, and stationary guide members engaged with said center plate and connected to said platform.

3. A concrete block machine comprising a platform, a center plate movable through said platform and having a vertically movable shaft, an operating lever connected intermediate its ends to said shaft and mounted at its forward end for pivotal movement, a frame supporting said platform and hav ing pivotal connection with said lever, side and end walls having posts hingedat their lower ends to said frame, collars arranged on said shaft, links establishing connection between said posts and said collars, and means mounted on said shaft for providing a yieldable connection between said shaft and the end walls.

lVILLIAM A. WHITFIELD. 

